THAILAND: More Than 320,000 Tourists Flock To Watch King Cobras

The popular Ban Koke Sa-nga in Khon Kaen has been an established cobra capital for years, but a lack of proper food for the fussy eaters is threatening not only their existence, but that of the village.

The villagers have raised and domesticated king cobras, originally collected from the nearby forests, for decades, attracting tourists who come in droves to see the pets in action.

The rearing of king cobras for public display is found only in Ban Koke Sa-nga village," said Plang Phramuang, 51, the third head of the King Cobra Club of Thailand based in the village.

Born in the village 50 years ago, Mr Plang, who raises three king cobras of his own, is serving a five-year term as the club leader. He said villagers mainly earn income from farming rice and sugarcane.

Raising the cobras for recreational purpose and putting them on a show helps supplement their income.

But now the feared creatures are under threat, although not by locals or visitors but a shortage of food. Their food is harder and harder to come by these days, he said.

Feeding the reptiles is tough task. Normally, we treat them with all kinds of small snakes, frogs and small green frogs, Mr Plang said. He said normally the king cobras eat smaller snakes.

So, raisers must go out to catch or trap the small snakes in the wild.

But water sources around the village are drying up, disrupting the ecology and driving away the small snakes and creatures the cobras feed on.

The prolonged drought and the vanishing water sources mean fewer fish for the small snakes. Also, wide areas where there used to be creeks and swamps have been turned into sugarcane farms.

The drought is causing a problem of fish shortages. Hopefully, after April, there should be some relief with the coming rains. Then, we might be able to trap more small snakes, he said.

Sometime, we have to venture some twenty kilometres to find the small snakes in other places or in the forests, Mr Plang said, adding that when the situation becomes desperate, the villagers buy small snakes at 50 baht per kilo.

The small snakes, such as the ngoo kinpla and ngoo sairung, find their habitats in the creeks or swamps, he said.

The small Ban Koke Sa-nga has a population of 735 people, most of them king cobra raisers. The snakes are kept in wooden boxes on the lower floor of the house and fed every three to four days.

King cobras mostly reach maturity in five years with a life expectancy of between 30 and 40 years and they can grow to between 3.7 and 5.5 metres in length.

King cobras are put on show in the 24 rai of land in the village club. Admission is free and donations are welcome.

The villagers established the King Cobra Village and Club of Thailand, the first of its kind in the country, in Nam Phong district of Khon Kaen.

It is where all the action can be can be witnessed of king cobras fighting with men, women flaunting the snakes coiled around their necks, as well as exhibitions of king cobra nurseries.

The club was set up in 1951 but it was not fully functional and integrated until 2002. Ken Yongla, the first club chairman, pioneered king cobra raising in the village. He was 91 years old when he passed away in 2010.

Back in 1951, Ken brought in some traditional medicines from his relatives in Roi Et and introduced them to the villagers. This was regarded as the first club activity.

Ken cultivated more knowledge about traditional medicine derived from the natural plants in the forest, which helped treat handlers who suffered from snake bites. In 1953, Ken started catching some ordinary cobras in the wild and kept them for show.

The local residents later decided to operate the show in one specific place in the village. However, they must ensure the audience sat a good distance from the cobras which are known to spit venom capable of blinding spectators.

In 1956, Ken switched to catching king cobras instead of cobras because they do not spit poison. His method of showing king cobras to promote herbs proved a success.

The show and the sale of herbal medicines and souvenirs have generated a steady income for many villagers, who have taken up snake raising instead of farm work.

Every Thai traditional New Year on April 13 sees "World King Cobra Day" to coincide with the popular Songkran water festival. This is a reflection of the close ties that bind local customs and the people living at one with nature, according to cultural experts.

World King Cobra Day is celebrated with contests and parades of snakes representing the 13 king cobra-raising villages in the Nam Phong area. Mr Plang said in Ban Koke Sa-nga alone, 342 king cobras are domestically raised. He has 12 of them.

The village's history associated with the snakes goes back over a hundred years. Ban Koke Sa-nga was founded around 1897 when cobras and king cobras roamed the surrounding forests.

But it was not until The village's history associated with the snakes goes back over a hundred years.

But it was not until 1995 that the king cobra show was unveiled to the general public for the first time. As more visitors came to see the show, more king cobras were domesticated to keep up with the rising demand from spectators.

The live show and raising of snakes allows the villagers and visitors to become educated about the nature of king cobras and to learn to live with one of the world's most poisonous snakes.

The residents have also expanded their knowledge on the raising of other breeds of snakes, including constrictor pythons.

Khon Kaen University specialists often visit the village to observe the snakes and take samples of venom for closer study.

It might be useful to learn more about the king cobra's life, as well as how how people can save their own lives after being bitten by poisonous snakes, Mr Plang said. Also, the show is a significant employer.

There's no longer any need for most villagers to move to the cities in search of work, he said, adding the whole family can sometimes join in the work of preparing and conducting the show.

He noted the show draws an increasing number of Thai and foreign tourists, some of whom buy traditional medicines concocted from herbs.

Last year, around 320,000 visitors arrived in the village to catch the show,up from the peak of 200,000 visitors in previous years.

Most visitors are Thais, and around 15% are foreigners, said Mr Plang, adding the visitors also learned about the basic features of the poisonous snakes and how to treat a snake bite.

Since the show began, four handlers have died after being bitten. The last victim was Por Heang in 2012. Last year, one person was bitten and the victim fell unconscious for three days.

The club receives financial support from the Khon Kaen Provincial Administration Organisation and the Saimool Tambon Administration Organisation. The club current has 170 members who are the villagers who are also king cobra raisers. More people have subscribed to the club.

We look after them in the most natural way possible, placing them in wooden boxes and sometimes under our beds, Mr Plang said.

The king cobra conservation is encouraged by the Khon Kaen provincial governor,the Kohn Kaen PAO, and the Tourism Authority of Thailand.

The agencies also send representatives to act as honorary advisers to the village and the club.


Tourism Observer

THAILAND: Why Chinese Tourists Visit Thailand

The most popular boutique hotel in Thailand among Chinese tourists in 2016 was the Anantara Lawana Koh Samui Resort on Koh Samui Island. The most popular luxury hotel was the Rayavadee Hotel in Krabi.

These hotels were on a 14-point list of top destinations, resorts, activities, and luxury hotels for Chinese visitors chosen as the best by the 2017 People’s Choice Awards.

The awards are voted on by Chinese visitors online and released by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).

This project, which was also carried out in the past two years, is the result of a partnership between Tencent and TAT.

Chinese visitors to Thailand were invited to vote and overall 3.7 million votes were cast.

This is up from the 3.2 million Chinese visitors that voted in 2016.

The press releases for the event reportedly reached a total audience of 45 million through WeChat and other Chinese platforms.

Voters were enticed by the opportunity to win various prizes, including a five-day holiday for two in Thailand, air tickets on Thai airlines, and vouchers for accommodations and activities.

Aside from Hong Kong and Macau, Thailand was the most popular foreign destination for Chinese tourists in 2016.

Thailand is a cheap option for outbound Chinese tourists as prices for goods and services in the country are relatively low and flights from China to Thailand are quite inexpensive.

However, the new 2017 TAT list illustrates an effort to promote luxury, boutique, and other high-end hospitality services and activities to Chinese visitors.

Categories included spas, shopping centers, golf courses and resorts, boutique hotels, and luxury hotels amongst others.

In many ways, the list and the effort behind it can be seen as a response to the increasing interest of Chinese tourists in boutique hotels and more “authentic and unique” travel experiences.

The TAT list also demonstrates an effective means of engaging with a broad range of Chinese tourists and promoting luxury travel options.

While Thailand is the most popular destination for Chinese tourists, several other Southeast Asian nations are currently attempting to attract more Chinese visitors.

For example, the Indonesian government announced plans to attract ten million Chinese tourists by 2019.

Although the number of Chinese tourists traveling to Indonesia has increased exponentially over the past few years, it is still struggling to reach this target.

The TAT list illustrates a creative means of engaging with Chinese consumers through Chinese social media to promote travel and luxury consumption.

Similar efforts by Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam could help consolidate and encourage the growth of Chinese tourism and consumption to these destinations.



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THAILAND: Bangkok Street Food Culture To Remain

Bangkok's street food culture will survive a crackdown on vendors, Thailand's tourism chief vowed Thursday, assuring travelers that a city renowned for its chaotic charm was not being remodeled into a Singapore-lite.

The City Hall stunned Thais and tourists alike this week with plans to bar the capital's world-famous food stalls from all main roads to reclaim pavements for the public.

On Thursday the governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) pushed back against fears that Bangkok was being gentrified in the image of Singapore – a city that relishes orderliness but is often characterized as tame compared to its Southeast Asian rivals.

"We will keep our uniqueness. We won't change our Yaowarat (Chinatown) into Orchard (road)," Uthasak Supasorn said, referring to a shopping district in Singapore with wide boulevards devoid of street life.

"The plan is not to totally take away street food from Bangkok streets, but there are some reasons and some places that will be reorganized," he added.

Nearly two-thirds of Bangkok's 30,000 street vendors have already been removed or relocated from pavements to open up space for pedestrians, according to city officials.

Vendors will be allowed to set up shop on smaller streets while hawkers based in two top tourist hubs – Chinatown and Khaosan Road will be reorganized but not barred completely.

Bangkok has some of the best street food in the world, you cannot take it away from the people of the world, the tourist governor told reporters, adding that he was meeting with city officials to discuss how the restrictions would be enforced.

Many are hoping the crackdown will wither like many of the other clean-up campaigns launched under the ruling junta.

Tourism is a major of pillar of Thailand's economy and has boomed despite a decade of political unrest and bad press over its dangerous roads and lax safety regulations.

The kingdom welcomed a record 32 million tourists in 2016, with revenue making up nearly a fifth of an otherwise lagging economy.

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THAILAND: Bangkok's Street Food Culture Or Attraction Survives Crackdown

Bangkok's street food culture will survive a crackdown on vendors, Thailand's tourism chief vowed today, assuring travellers that a city renowned for its chaotic charm was not being remodelled into a Singapore-lite.

The City Hall stunned Thais and tourists alike this week with plans to bar the capital's world-famous food stalls from all main roads to reclaim pavements for the public.

Today, the governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) pushed back against fears that Bangkok was being gentrified in the image of Singapore a city that relishes orderliness but is often characterised as tame compared to its Southeast Asian rivals.

"We will keep our uniqueness. We won't change our Yaowarat (Chinatown) into Orchard (road)," Uthasak Supasorn said, referring to a shopping district in Singapore with wide boulevards devoid of street life.

The plan is not to totally take away street food from Bangkok streets, but there are some reasons and some places that will be reorganised," he added.

Nearly two-thirds of Bangkok's 30,000 street vendors have already been removed or relocated from pavements to open up space for pedestrians, according to city officials.

Vendors will be allowed to set up shop on smaller streets while hawkers based in two top tourist hubs Chinatown and Khaosan Road will be reorganised but not barred completely.

"Bangkok has some of the best street food in the world, you cannot take it away from the people of the world," the tourist governor told reporters, adding that he was meeting with city officials to discuss how the restrictions would be enforced.

Many are hoping the crackdown will wither like many of the other clean-up campaigns launched under the ruling junta.

Tourism is a major of pillar of Thailand's economy and has boomed despite a decade of political unrest and bad press over its dangerous roads and lax safety regulations.

The kingdom welcomed a record 32 million tourists in 2016, with revenue making up nearly a fifth of an otherwise lagging economy.

Meanwhile, Tourist influx in North Indian hill town Shimla has increased after turmoil in Jammu and Kashmir. Despite temperature going above normal mark, tourists come here due to the peaceful atmosphere.

Tour business operators have been witnessing flood of bookings and inquires after the tourists opting Shimla, instead of Kashmir.

Tourism business operator KC Thakur said tension in Kashmir has diverted the tourist influx in Himachal Pradesh especially in Shimla. He said that hotels have almost been full to the capacity and rooms have been booked in advance.

Sagar Puri a tourist from Amritsar said, ?Condition in Srinagar is not favorable for tourism as compared to Himachal which is now identified as a safe place for tourism.?

Tourists claim to choose Shimla as their tourist destiny due to unfavorable situation prevailing in Kashmir.

Major chunk of tourists might have flown to Kashmir had the situation been normal, but instead they chose Shimla because of its peaceful atmosphere.

THAILAND: Why Hostility To Chinese Tourists?

On Chiang Mai’s Nimmanhaemin Road, a fashionable tourist hub packed with visitors from China, a group of four women, all high school teachers and in their mid-20s, hesitantly accepts the request for an interview. Hesitant, as they are aware of the undertone of negativity to any discussion on Chinese tourists and Thailand’s – and much of the world media’s – often unattractive portrayal of them.

It’s their first time in Thailand. They are here mostly because of Thailand’s affordability and its accessibility from Guangdong province in southern China, where they are from.

They also happen to be following in the footsteps of their Teochew ancestors who moved to Thailand in the early 20th century, when waves of immigrants fled a then impoverished China to seek fortune and happiness in the Land of Smiles.
“We have heard a lot about our ancestors migrating to Thailand, the lore of Chinese migration that are part of our childhood memories,” says Lin Ju.

Lin says she is proud of the “hardworking Chinese in Thailand” who contributed so much to the economy back home at a time when China was yet to arrive as an economic powerhouse.

The Thais, says her friend Lin Miaofang, are friendly, hospitable and thankful for the tourism dollar the Chinese bring. “The media exaggerates Chinese behaviour – a few cases don’t reflect the behaviour of an entire nation.”

Farther up the street, a couple from Jiangxi (江西) province agree. “This subject itself makes me angry. The media in Thailand and at home always pick up the most outrageous cases,” says Shan Xiaolian.

Thai people in general have no antipathy towards the Chinese, adds his girlfriend Teng Rui, who teaches primary school English and etiquette, which she calls “moral education”. “It’s only the media.”

In recent years, Thai media has bristled with stories of misdemeanours by Chinese tourists. Some viral videos have featured gluttonous Chinese diners stacking their plates with prawns, an anti-Chinese rant by a Thai celebrity over queuing etiquette in a Korean airport, skylarking youngsters dressing up in Thai university uniforms, and a Chinese tourist drying her underwear at Chiang Mai airport. Belligerent, unruly, noisy and disrespectful are the most common adjectives used in Thailand when it comes to Chinese tourists.

The constant bad press has led the Chinese government to issue a good behaviour manifesto for citizens planning international travel. Though the misdemeanours may be negligible compared to the more loutish and even violent behaviour of some Western tourists on any given night in some of Thailand’s infamously seedy joints, it is invariably the Chinese who get the most headlines.

This popular revulsion actually goes far deeper than the antics of a few tourists,and is rooted in both the economics of Chinese tourism and the history of Chinese immigration in Thailand.

In the words of Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) governor Thawatchai Arunyik, China was until recently was “a rising star” as a source for tourists. In June, the Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT) forecast international tourist arrivals to reach 33.87 million in 2016, up 13 per cent on 2015. The reason for the boom was the influx of Chinese. In 2015, 7.9 million came to Thailand – over a quarter of the total inbound tourism figure. Initially, that number was expected to reach 10 million by the end of this year, another record.

But media reporting on Chinese visitors forced Thai authorities to sit up and take notice, especially as it began to take a toll on the tourism industry. The controversy over so-called “zero-dollar” tours illustrates the problems typically associated with the economics of Chinese tourists: Tour operators attract Chinese tour groups with super-cheap packages that promise free food and accommodation, but once in Thailand, the hapless travellers are coerced into buying goods and services at exorbitant rates from Chinese-run operations.

As the money is mostly channelled back to China, the local economy gains little from the surge in Chinese tourists even though they soak up local resources.

The Thai government cracked down on these tours in September, leading to a steep drop in Chinese arrivals.
It imposed an arrival fee of Bt1,000 (HK$215) and a minimum Bt1,000 per day fee for inbound Chinese tour groups as part of the crackdown, leading to a year-on-year drop in Chinese tourist arrivals of 16 per cent in October and 30 per cent in November.
The number of expected inbound Chinese tourists is now being revised down from 10 million to 9.1 million for 2016.

The TCT estimates the decline will continue into the first quarter of 2017, with Chinese tourist arrivals falling by a fifth in the first quarter. The drop in numbers has forced the government to backtrack, waiving fees until February 28 and cutting the visa on arrival fee by half for 19 other nationalities.

But what really lies at the heart of the negative portrayal of Chinese tourists that has stirred the government into action? According to Peter Hessler, an American author of several books on China, including Oracle Bones: A Journey Through Time in China, the spate of negative reports are part of what he calls an adjustment period relating to how Chinese culture interacts with the rest of the world.

Thailand is hardly the only country where there has been criticism of Chinese tourists. Japanese media this year called for “Chinese-only zones” to limit instances of what it considered poor etiquette. Anger boiled over again last week after reports of scuffles between stranded Chinese tourists and Japanese police. Vietnam, meanwhile, has stated it may expel Chinese tourists following a viral video showing a tourist misbehaving with a banana vendor.

Hessler believes geography and history may be playing a big part in the hostility towards Chinese tourists. “Asian countries are more aware of the rise of China and are somewhat wary of it,” he says. He cites Egypt, where Chinese tourism has risen 200 per cent this year, giving the industry a much-needed push at a time when Western tourists are staying away.

In Egypt too, Chinese tourists have drawn attention for not tipping and their tendency to not conform to the appropriate dressing standards. “But it’s interesting that I’ve seen very little backlash in Egypt, the people are very positive about China,” says Hessler. China, he says, has never had any stake in the Israel-Palestine issue, which colours Egyptian perceptions of Western tourists. “China represents no threat at all to Egypt.”

Hessler, who once lived in Egypt, also believes the natural Chinese penchant for history contributes to positive attitudes towards them. Chinese tourists in Egypt routinely choose museums and temple sites over beaches and drinking, he says, and engage “more deeply in such things than Americans of the same class”.

This positive reaction in Egypt, according to Hessler, shows the negativity surrounding Chinese tourists is not a universal phenomenon. Chinese in Egypt behave the same way as in other countries, but the Egyptians, he says, laugh at their cultural misdemeanours.
On the other hand, he says, if similar misdemeanours were made by groups from Israel, there would be an outcry. “People’s historical, political, cultural baggage comes with them when they travel, and locals will interpret them in many cases through that lens,” says Hessler, adding the collective memory of Thai and Chinese cultural intersection probably has more to do with Thai reactions to supposed misdemeanours of Chinese tourists than anything else.

In his essay “Riddles Of Yellow And Red”, historian and political scientist Benedict Anderson outlines how the Chinese came to control much of Thailand, and the present power struggles in Thailand involving various groups of Chinese coming to the country. On the rise of the Chinese diaspora, Anderson says it didn’t take long until “the economy of Thailand was almost entirely in the hands of different Chinese-speaking groups”, and at some point later in time, politics as well.

On the influx of Chinese immigrants at the beginning of 20th century, Anderson says: “In Bangkok, for example, the Teochews controlled 97 per cent of all pawn shops and a similar proportion of rice mills. They also accounted for 92 per cent of Chinese medicine people. Sawmilling for the timber trade was overwhelmingly in the hands of Hailamese – 85 per cent.

People who specialised in the leather business, on the other hand, were 98 per cent Hakka, and nine out of ten tailors were Hakka, too. Some 59 per cent of Bangkok’s machine shops were Cantonese-owned. And 87 per cent of rubber exporters were Hokkien.”
The Thai-Chinese control over the Thai economy remains undiminished to this day. Dhanin Chearavanont, the richest man in Thailand today and the head of conglomerate CP Group, is of Chinese descent.

So is Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi, the second richest man in the country, and the Chirathivat family, which is ranked third. Among the Thai-Chinese who have crossed over from business to politics, the most famous is the former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, a grandson of an immigrant from Guangdong¬ who continues to hold significant influence in Thai politics despite his self-imposed exile.

“After the second world war, there were many Chinese military strongmen that ruled the country, but the Chinese were always successful in business, which caused some amount of jealously. We wanted the Chinese to come, we wanted their skills, but were also jealous of their money. We used derogatory terms such as ‘Thai Jek’ for the Chinese,” says Nusara Thaitawat, a former journalist who owns a restaurant in Chiang Mai’s touristy Old City.

Half-Chinese herself, Nusara believes current anxieties over Chinese tourists are related to their sheer numbers. “We never had this many Chinese. The number is overwhelming, we are just not prepared for the sheer volume. In the 60s the American influx brought the ‘ugly American’ and in the 80s, it was the Japanese. Thais feared the Japanese would buy up the country. The flood of Chinese tourists brings back that same fear.”

Martin Vensky-Stalling, a senior adviser at the Chiang Mai University Science and Technology Park, echoes the tension between the lure of Chinese tourism dollar and the threat of Chinese money buying up everything Thai. He says the media reaction has been “overblown” and Chinese tourists have been a blessing for the economy, but: “One concern is that more and more businesses catering for Chinese seem to be owned by Chinese.”

Hessler also sees a link between the negative perception of Chinese tourists and the economic transformation of China “in the sense that it’s created an intensely competitive, intensely fast-moving society, that rewards people to push and make quick decisions, doesn’t necessarily reward thoughtfulness, or being concerned for your neighbour”.

This will improve over time, he says, adding it’s a very good thing that more Chinese are travelling overseas, it’s good for the economies of other countries and for the Chinese after decades of isolation. “There will be bumps along the way, but on the whole it’s a good process.”

The bumps are most evident when it comes to tour groups, typically the low-spending ones that seem to be taking most of the flak in Thailand.

One tour group in Chiang Mai was mostly of the opinion the media had exaggerated the issue, though the younger men in the group said part of the problem was caused by the regional diversity in codes of behaviour among Chinese travellers.

“Some people are still not able to adapt to local cultures when they travel,” says Wang, a 30-year-old tourist from Shanghai.
“But people are learning from word of mouth and domestic media about instances of bad behaviour. China has developed rapidly in a short time, maybe social etiquette has for some failed to keep pace with economic growth.”

Agreeing is a 70-year-old standing next to Wang, also from Shanghai. From a generation of Chinese not used to travelling abroad, or speaking to the media, he prefers not to give his name. But as the end of what has been an awkward interview approaches, he gives a big smile, draws out a cigarette packet and politely offers his interviewer a smoke

PHILIPPINES: Tourism Secretary Conducts Fact Finding

THE first order of business for the Philippines’ newly appointed Department of Tourism (DoT) secretary are housekeeping matters affecting the daily operations of the agency.

Wanda Teo, who took office in July, embarked on a marathon of meetings with internal heads to conduct a “reality check”, according to a DoT statement, to ascertain if its resources are used efficiently for tourism-related projects and activities.

One of the first actions taken was the scrapping of the processing fee for the issuance of certificates of travel tax exemption and reduced travel tax, which came into effect since July 25.

There is also an ongoing discussion to integrate the terminal fee into the passenger’s airline ticket payment in hopes to simplify travel regulations and ease the queuing and delays at Philippine airport terminals.

Outside of internal workings, Teo also met with Tourism Authority of Thailand officials and the Thai minister of tourism and sports, Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul, who offered collaboration between the two countries in farm tourism, youth development as well as women and indigenous community projects.

Representatives from the Thai Travel Agents Association also met up with Teo to discuss how tour operators can send more Thai tourists to the Philippines.

She also travelled to the US to explore opportunities for tourism advocacy among the Filipino-American community and to see if medical tourism is a possibility for Filipinos and non-Filipinos alike residing on the country’s east coast.

Teo asserts that the DoT will be emphasising on domestic tourism too, and that the agency will be geared towards “shared tourism” to ensure that the economic benefits of tourism are felt by marginalised members of local communities.

THAILAND: Thailand Tourism Authority of Thailand Formulating Ways To Boost Tourism

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has put together a raft of initiatives, including a Situation Monitoring Centre and a We Care Campaign, to ensure the safety of tourists in Thailand and to let people know that the country is still a secure and welcoming destination to visit in the wake of the incidents over the last weekend. A number of special events and festivals are being planned to stimulate future travel and bookings.

Mr. Yuthasak Supasorn, TAT Governor said, “To boost industry and tourist confidence, TAT is putting initiatives in place to ensure that Thailand’s positive image as a safe and welcoming tourist destination remains intact. TAT is also launching a “We Care” initiative, campaigning for the local communities to pull out the stops when it comes to hosting tourists and to encourage everyone working in the field of tourism to wear special White-Yellow Ribbons – symbols of the peace and unity of the nation. We want to show that Thailand and the Thai people genuinely care for the well-being of all tourists. And we want tourists to know that by visiting Thailand, they’ll make memorable travel memories and enjoy experiences that will entice them to return time after time.”

A Situation Monitoring Centre was opened on 12 August, 2016, to ensure officials have the latest information from TAT local and overseas offices in order to measure the possible impact on the industry, and counter the situation accordingly. The Centre is monitoring local and international news, collecting statistics on tourist arrivals, bookings and cancellations as well as data from airline and tourism-related companies.

Based on reports from TAT offices nationwide, the recent incidents have not massively impacted on domestic tourism as people were determined to enjoy the weekend and the delights of the kingdom. As for inbound tourism, while the international media has been reporting extensively on the explosions over the weekend, the news has only had a slight impact on more sensitive markets. There were very few changes to bookings for the present or near future.

To boost travel and revenue for the rest of the year, TAT is seeking cabinet approval for a special long-holiday weekend in September. As Thailand is hosting this year’s World Tourism Day in Bangkok, TAT has sought an approval for the World Tourism Day (27 September, 2016) to be declared a public holiday in Thailand and the Monday prior (26 September), to be an extra day off. A four-day break would encourage travel and spending nationwide while boosting confidence among travellers.

In addition, TAT is planning to organise a number of mega events and special tourism promotional campaigns to attract local and international visitors. The “Jazz Run Cycling Hua Hin Festival” is scheduled for the first week of September, and will comprise a jazz music festival, a food fair, a marathon, and a cycling event. A major golf tournament will also be played on the town’s famous course, featuring Thailand’s lady golf ambassadors, Ms. Pornanong Phatlum and Ms. Ariya Jutanugarn.

Another large-scale event, the “Magnificent Thailand”, will be held in Bangkok, possibly in Lumphini Park, from 1-7 October, 2016, and will comprise a street food festival, a local food fair, city street light decorations, mapping shows, and a shopping street. Also, there will be an “ExpatFest” held at the end of September to showcase unique Thai culture, traditions, cuisine and tourist attractions to the many expatriates in Thailand, to encourage them to travel more domestically and create buzz among their families and friends overseas that Thailand remains a safe and welcoming tourist destination.

TAT has also scheduled to launch a new domestic tourism promotional campaign to encourage Thai people to travel in Thailand’s Southern regions. Called the “Cross Regional Travel Challenge”, the initiative will start on 1 October, 2016, and will promote the pleasures of the tropical South with its beaches, islands and rainforests.

Also making a return will be the popular “Thailand’s Luckiest Visitor” campaign which rewarded each millionth traveller, who entered the country during June to December, 2015. For this year, there will be exciting prizes laid on for the 30th, 31st, 32nd, 33rd and 34th millionth visitor to the kingdom.

Mr. Yuthasak concluded, “We believe that all these special measures and initiatives will help stimulate travel during the rest of the year, and allow Thailand to reach the 2016’s revenue target of 2.41 trillion Baht.”

THAILAND: Chiang Mai Welcomes ChineseTourists

Chiang Mai province is now launching citywide campaign to attract Chinese tourists with the erecting of signboards, posters at public places and stickers at shopping centres telling them that Chiang Mai people welcomed them wholeheartedly.

The campaign was jointly held by both the private sector and local government sector amid concern that the number of Chinese tourists to Thailand’s northern cities dropped significantly following strong criticism in the social media of the inappropriate behaviour of the Chinese tourists.

In Chiang Rai province, report said the number of Chinese visitors driving to Thailand via Chiang Rai border checkpoint dropped to almost zero following the imposition of stricter regulation for Chinese visitors who drive their own vehicles to the Thai northern cities.

The drop in Chinese visitors also followed the wave of negative feedback from the Chinese media towards tourism in Chiang Mai.

But now local administrators and private sector have assured everyone that they were happy to welcome Chinese tourists.

With signboards written in Chinese putting up all over Chiang Mai municipality, local people and authorities said they are part of a campaign that has been launched to reassure Chinese tourists that people in Chiang Mai were wholeheartedly welcoming Chinese visitors.

Also, stickers showing a Thai elephant shaking hands with a Chinese panda have been made to support the effort and are being widely distributed to all shops catering to tourists.

Effort by Chiang Mai authorities and residents was launched to counter the outcry raised by Chinese media over a number of negative comments that were posted online over the unseemly conduct of some Chinese tourists.

Chiang Mai deputy governor Mr Mongkol Suksai said people from different parts of the world have varying attitudes and behavioral practices.

Sometimes what they regard as normal is either unacceptable or considered ill-mannered for Thai people.

“But that doesn’t mean that they are wrong,’ he said.

“It is just a significant difference between cultures which on many occasions we as Thais are not accustomed to. That is why it is vital that we make them understand how Thai people are. It is our job to show them what is acceptable and more importantly what is inappropriate in Thai culture,” the deputy governor explained.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) stated that last year approximately 700,000 Chinese tourists visited Chiang Mai.

They represent the highest number of foreign tourists there and for the first 3 months of this year almost 250,000 Chinese tourists have already arrived in Chiang Mai.

Compared to the same period last year, this represents a 40% increase.

THAILAND: 4.6 Million Chinese Tourists Visited Thailand,Spending $160 Per Day

Accused of urinating in public, spitting on the street, or kicking a sacred temple bell — free-spending Chinese tourists in Thailand are receiving a mixed welcome as their soaring numbers help the kingdom's creaking economy.

Growing outrage over the perceived disrespect of visitors from the Asian giant saw authorities print thousands of Chinese-language etiquette manuals earlier this year in a bid to keep their tourists in check.

Last month it was a photo of a young girl peeing in the grounds of Bangkok's Grand Palace that triggered the latest round of enraged, and sometimes racist, comments as Thai social-media users claimed she was Chinese.

In March a Thai model's video of tourists from China jumping the queue at an airport was viewed more than two million times and saw a similarly angry rant against Thailand's largest group of foreign holidaymakers.

At the gleaming Wat Rong Khun, also known as the White Temple, in northern Chiang Rai province, owner Chalermchai Kositpipat complained about the state of the toilets after a recent visit by a Chinese group.

"We had problems with some Chinese who defecated anywhere, so I asked the guides to explain to them that rules must be respected in Thailand," Chalermchai said, having earlier threatened to refuse the nationals entry.

But he stopped short of issuing a ban, and like Thai authorities is loath to cut out the Chinese at a time when they are bucking the trend of dipping visitor figures in the kingdom, where tourism accounts for 8.5% of gross domestic product.

Last year around 4.6 million Chinese nationals visited Thailand, with the average tourist spending 5,500 baht ($160) per day — more than the average European visitor.

Their collective contribution, expected to reach $5.6 billion this year, is not one the ruling junta can afford to lose as it struggles to revive a sclerotic economy — one of its key promises after seizing power from an elected government in May 2014 that was paralysed by months of protests in Bangkok.

'Cultural misunderstandings'
At the White Temple, Thai tour guide Pin Su says her job has become an art in diplomacy due to the growing number of Chinese visitors.

"They do not always pay attention, they spit, talk loudly, sometimes they leave the toilet in a catastrophic state," she said in between ferrying tourists around the building.

"But I cannot remind them every day that we must be careful to be clean. I do not want to offend them. And all these tourists, it is for Thailand!"

Bangkok's ruling generals have been busy courting Beijing as they build new diplomatic allies after last year's coup was widely condemned by Western nations, including longtime friend the US.

Late last year the two Asian nations forged new agricultural ties, and Beijing was also granted a major railway contract to construct two new lines crisscrossing Thailand.

With the recent easing of visa rules between the kingdom and China, where the growing ranks of the middle-classes are increasingly holidaying abroad, even more Chinese tourists are expected to arrive in Thailand this year.

Unsurprisingly, Thai authorities appear keen to downplay any incidents of strife.

"Chinese tourists do not create problems for us. They are nice tourists," said Srisuda Wanapinyosak, an executive director at the Tourism Authority of Thailand.

"But sometimes there might be cultural misunderstandings as we have different cultures," she admitted before running through the tips laid out for the Chinese in the new manuals.

Back at the White Temple, Cai Zheng Hua and his wife from Fujian, a province in southeast China, are enjoying their long-awaited honeymoon.

He says that while some of his compatriots may "not have enough education to know how to behave," they are very much in a "small minority".

For most visitors Thailand is a "dream" and "very fashionable," said the holidaymaker, raving about the architecture at the site.

THAILAND: Hotel Tariffs Affected By Economy

Top-brand hotels along the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok are already cutting rates as low season starts to cut occupancy rates below 80%.

The current economic downturn has pushed Thai people to tighten their belts, with a number of big hotel chains feeling the pinch and offering big discounts on rooms to stay afloat.

The hotels are competing to draw more guests during the low season, which starts next month.

Centara Hotels & Resorts is offering a 50% discount to attract clients who make a reservation at its hotels in Thailand by April 30. The condition is that guests can only stay during weekdays. The offer ends Sept 30.

Thirayuth Chirathivat, chief executive of Centara Hotels & Resorts, said the campaign is a means of efficiently managing inventory during the low season.

Centara set its hotel revenue growth at 10% or 10.03 billion baht this year.

"Aggressive marketing and promotional campaigns will be carried out throughout the year to meet our revenue target," Mr Thirayuth said.

The Thai hotel chain expects occupancy rates during the low season to be stable, but with lower room rates.

Centara's projection is in line with that of S Group, a local hotelier.

S Group has revised down its 2016 revenue growth to 8% from 15% earlier because the low season has come on more quickly than expected. Normally, the low season starts in May.

Managing director Sarun Limsawaddiwong said bookings have slowed down since the end of March. Its survey found that hotels in Bangkok's Sukhumvit area have seen their occupancy rates in April fall by 10% compared with March.

The economic slowdown has caused a decline in European and American tourists, he said.

The group hopes to keep the average occupancy rate at its five hotels in Bangkok at 80%, although the average room rate will drop.

Accor, the French hotel group, is offering customers, particularly members of its loyalty programmes special offers and promotions to generate business. Its membership is 25.7 million worldwide, including 380,000 people in Thailand.

Valerie Marina Barrios, director of loyalty and communications for AccorHotels Upper Southeast and Northeast Asia, said a private promotion is offering Accor Plus members a 50% discount. Le Club AccorHotels for its part is offering members and customers subscribing to the group's email a 40% discount.

The deal, available worldwide, is limited to bookings between April 19 to 29 for stays from May 13 to July 31 this year.

Onyx Hospitality Group, another local hotel chain, has launched a "buy 1 get 1 free" campaign for guests who book rooms at one of its 30 hotels in six countries, including Thailand, from April 22-24. The promotion covers stays between April 23 and Nov 30 this year.

Apart from hoteliers, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) will organise the Weekday Tourism Mart 2016, which will be held from May 12-15 at Queen Sirikit National Convention Center. It hopes that the event will stimulate travel demand during the low season.

During the four-day event, TAT said 400 tourism operators will offer special discounts ranging from 30 to 50% for those who buy vouchers to stay during weekdays.

The event is projected to attract 200,000 visitors and generate revenue of 220 million baht.

TAT governor Yuthasak Supason said the authority had set its domestic tourism revenue target at 900 billion baht for 2016, up from 790 billion baht last year.

THAILAND: Tourism Authority Of Thailand Expresses Deepest Condolences To People Of Japan

On behalf of the Thai tourism industry, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) would like to express our deepest condolences to the people of Japan and everyone affected by the recent earthquake that struck the island of Kyushu.

The links between the people of Thailand and Japan go back over 600 years and are now stronger than ever before. Thailand and Japan have long worked together to promote tourism between the two nations, and Japan is one of our top five markets.

Nearly 1.4 million travellers from Japan visited Thailand in 2015 and almost 800,000 Thai tourists travelled to Japan. These figures are growing year on year.

In this time of grief and mourning in your country, the prayers of the Thai people are with you. The longstanding solidarity between our nations is unbreakable, and this recent tragedy will only strengthen our resolve to support the people of Japan as they rebuild and recover.

THAILAND: Thailand Received 29 Million Visitors

Thailand will welcome its 29 millionth visitor today at Suvarnabhumi Airport, Bangkok, exceeding the country’s target of 28.8 million set for the entire year.

With eight days to the New Year countdown, 31 December, it is now very likely the country will close the year 200,000 short of 30 million tourist arrivals.

Considering the global economic woes, security scares and a deadly bomb attack at a Bangkok tourist venue, earlier in the year, the performance is nothing short of incredible.

The “Thailand’s Luckiest Visitor” activity was launched in June this year by the Tourism Authority of Thailand.

Since then one lucky visitor whenever arrivals reached a new million milestone was showered with prizes including a roundtrip ticket for two to return to Thailand.

On average the country accumulated a million tourists in around 10 days since July. Most of the lucky visitors were welcomed at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi airport with a few winners welcomed at Phuket, Chiang Mai and Hat Yai.

TAT said the campaign focused the tourism industry to work towards the goal of drawing more international tourists to Thailand.

The “amazing” result has recovered most of the ground lost over two years of political discord in the country that ended in 2014 with a military coup.

Tourist officials estimated in their long-range forecasts that the country would attract around 30 million tourists by 2014. It will now hit or come very close to that result by the end of this year and it considered feasible that 2016 could see arrivals climb to around 32 million.

The highest performance in the past was 26.55 million achieved in 2013. In 2014, the kingdom attracted 24.80 million visits, down 6.54% on the 2013 performance, according to Ministry of Tourism and Sports’ data.

RUSSIA: Russian Union Of Travel Industry Threatens To Boycott Thailand As A Tourist Destination

The Russian Union of Travel Industry (RUTI), which represents more than five thousands groups and state agencies related to the tourism industry in Russia, has urged Thai authorities to improve the safety in Thailand for visiting Russians or it may face a boycott from its members.

The director of the TAT in Moscow, Mr. Narin Tijayung said that the union has submitted a letter to the Moscow office of the Tourism Authority of Thailand following a road accident that injured more than thirty Russian tourists when a double decker bus they were travelling on overturned on the highway. Four of those traveling were in a serious condition after the accident that police believe was caused by the driver falling asleep behind the wheel.

There have been a spate if incidents in Thailand involving Russians recently including the death of one Russian tourist being killed and thirty more being injured when a tour bus flipped over in Kanchanaburi province. On November 7th two Russian tourists were killed in a road accident in Nakorn Si Thammaram the same day that a twelve year old Russian boy succumbed to injuries he sustained escaping from the tourist ferry that sank near Pattaya

Mr. Narin said the letter submitted by RUTI, which is addressed to the Thai Ministry of Tourism and Sports, called for a concise, practical measures to ensure safety for Russian tourists in the kingdom.

The letter specifically points out road safety in Thailand as the main concern for the RUTI and its members, Mr. Narin added that the lack of training given to road users, the condition of many of the vehicles and the lack of enforcement of road rules and regulations were of great concern.

The RUTI also reportedly demanded the Thai government to solve these issues within the end of November, otherwise it will consider taking action to maintain the safety of Russian citizens by canceling all scheduled charter flights from Russia throughout the period of December 2013 – March 2014.If the cancellation came to effect, other countries in the region, such as Malaysia, Singapore, and Vietnam would be picked as destinations instead of Thailand, the letter reportedly warned.

THAILAND: Thailand Raises From 19 Million To 20 Million Arrivals In Only 10 Days

Thailand’s visitor arrivals count surged by one million in only ten days with the arrival of the country’s 20th million visitor today. This indicated that the widely projected temporary downturn in arrivals following the 17 August attack in Bangkok had failed to materialize.

The 20 millionth visitor, Mr. Shoji Omori, from Japan, was given the traditional surprise welcome at Suvarnabhumi Airport today by the executives and representatives of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), Thai Airways International Public Co., Ltd., the Immigration Bureau, the Airports of Thailand Public Co., Ltd., and True Corporation Public Co., Ltd.

The 19 millionth visitor was welcomed at Phuket International Airport on 16 August, 2015.

As part of a “Green Season” marketing strategy that began 30 June, every millionth visitor to the country is being welcomed at Thailand’s international aviation gateways, until 30 September, 2015.

The lucky visitors are being pleasantly surprised to receive two economy-class return air tickets from their international port of origin to Thailand along with a five-night accommodation voucher, a “Thailand’s Luckiest Visitor” certificate as well as other prizes from TAT’s project partners. The trips have a validity period of one year.

The activity is designed to support the “2015 Discover Thainess” umbrella campaign, which aims to highlight the endless charm of Thailand, the diversity of destinations, the flavors of Thai cuisine, fascinating uniqueness of the traditions and culture, as well as the friendliness of its people.

Thailand’s Luckiest Visitor Date of arrival Number of days between every millionth visitor

13th million visitor 13 June 2015 –
14th million visitor 21 June 2015 8
15th million visitor 5 July 2015 14
16th million visitor 15 July 2015 10
17th million visitor 28 July 2015 13
18th million visitor 7 August 2015 10
19th million visitor 16 August 2015 9
20th million visitor 26 August 2015 10

Mrs. Juthaporn Rerngronasa, TAT Acting Governor and Deputy Governor for International Marketing (Europe, Africa, Middle East and Americas) said, “Hitting the 20th million visitor mark is particularly important because it clearly indicates that arrivals have been virtually unaffected by the 17 August attack. This is a very good sign indeed.

“If this pace continues, we are likely to exceed our projection of 28.8 million visitors in 2015. As always, we extend our warm thanks to all visitors for their continued confidence in our country and our people.”